Device for transporting and storing cigarettes

ABSTRACT

A device is disclosed for transporting and storing cigarettes. High performance packaging machines require a correspondingly large stock of cigarettes. Several containers (21) are fixedly assembled into a storage unit (20). Each container (21) receives a large number of cigarettes. The containers (21) are filled and emptied through an opening (26) arranged in the bottom wall (28) without any change in their relative position. A conveyor (16) for filling and emptying the containers (21) is also designed in a special manner. It has two separate conveyor shafts (40, 41) for filling and emptying the containers (21).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for transporting and storingcigarettes, having a storage unit comprising several containers whichare arranged one beside the other and are connected fixedly to oneanother, and having a cigarette conveyor for feeding the cigarettes, inparticular, from a cigarette-making machine and conveying away thecigarettes, in particular to a packaging machine, it being possible forthe individual containers to be filled or emptied one after the other ina filling station by the cigarette conveyor (16).

The handling of cigarettes, after they have been manufactured and beforethey are packaged, poses particular problems for the packaging ofcigarettes. The cigarette-making machines manufacture cigarettes at ahigh output of, for example, sixteen thousand cigarettes per minute. Thecomparatively large number of cigarettes has to be fed to the packagingmachine in an expedient manner. In this arrangement,manufacturing-related fluctuations in the output of the cigarette-makingmachine as well as those of the following packaging machine have to betaken into account. It is thus conventional for storage devices forcigarettes to be placed between said two units. Depending on thefluctuations in output, the cigarettes are conveyed into said store ordischarged from the same.

So-called trays which can be filled from their upper side or theirunderside are known for storing and transporting cigarettes. In order toempty the trays, the upper side of the same is first of all closed by aslat, the trays are tilted through approximately 180° over an emptyingstation, and the trays are then entered into the emptying station. As aresult of this complicated handling of the trays, the size of thestorage device, into which several containers are assembled, isrestricted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to propose a device for storing andhandling cigarettes which, using containers for receiving a cigarettestock, exhibits a considerably larger storage capacity and permitsfacilitated handling during distribution of the stored cigarettes.

In order to achieve this object, the device according to the inventionis characterized by the following features:

a) an interior for receiving the cigarettes of each container is boundedby a large-surface-area front wall, a large-surface-area rear wall,narrow side walls and a bottom wall,

b) the cigarettes can be stored with their longitudinal axis transverseto the plane of the front wall, the width of the side wall and of thebottom wall corresponding approximately to the length of the cigarettes,

c) the bottom wall exhibits an opening via which each container can befilled and emptied without any change in their relative position,

d) the cross-section of the opening corresponds to the cross-section ofthe cigarette stream in the region of the cigarette conveyor.

According to the invention, the containers are filled through an openingarranged in the bottom wall and emptied again through the same opening.Tipping of the containers or emptying the same is not necessary. Allthat is needed is for the relevant container to be displaced into thefilling station for filling or emptying. As a result, the handling ofthe containers is simplified considerably. Furthermore, this means thatvirtually any number of containers can be assembled into the storageunit.

Preferably, the bottom wall is mounted pivotably in the region of thefilling opening and can be pivoted from an essentially horizontal normalposition into a V-shaped position with at least one leg sloping down tothe opening.

Upon filling a container which is empty or only slightly filled, thebottom wall is located first of all in a V-shaped position. If a certaindegree of filling is reached, the bottom wall is pivoted from theV-shaped position into the normal position. In this position, a cuboidalcontainer is obtained. Dead spaces which cannot be used for storingcigarettes are avoided.

Upon emptying such a container, first of all cigarettes are conveyedaway with the bottom wall still located in the normal position. If thedegree of filling falls below the predetermined degree of filling, thebottom wall is pivoted into the V-shaped position. In this manner, thecontainer can be fully emptied.

The filling opening is preferably arranged in a central region of thebottom wall. In this case, the bottom wall is subdivided into twopivotable legs which extend on both sides of the filling opening.Consequently, even if the container is of a small height in comparisonwith its longitudinal extent, a sufficient angle of inclination of thebottom wall can be achieved in the V-shaped position. The two legs ofthe bottom wall can be pivoted in a particularly simple manner by ineach case one actuating member, in particular a pressure-mediumcylinder.

It is particularly favourable if the side walls are fitted pivotably onthe bottom wall and can be pivoted into the V-shaped position togetherwith said bottom wall. In this arrangement, the pivot movement of thebottom wall and of the side walls is controlled by sensors which detectthe degree of filling of the container.

A further special feature of the invention relates to a cigaretteconveyor for transporting the cigarettes from a cigarette-making machineto the filling station and from the filling station to a packagingmachine. For this purpose, the invention makes use of two separateconveyor channels. One conveyor channel is used simply for feeding thecigarettes to the filling station, while a second conveyor channelserves simply for conveying the cigarettes away from the fillingstation. Consequently, better, disruption-free transportation of thecigarettes in the upward and downward direction is ensured withoutdanger of the cigarettes being damaged.

Further features of the invention relate to the configuration of thecontainers and members in conjunction with the filling or emptying ofthe containers and to the configuration of the cigarette conveyor.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detailhereinbelow with reference to the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the device in accordance with a firstexemplary embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the device according to FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the device according to a further exemplaryembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The exemplary embodiments represented in the drawings relate to thehandling of cigarettes or other elongate, rod-like objects. The matterin question is the storage of a large number of cigarettes and thetransportation thereof in the region between a cigarette-making machineand a packaging machine (neither of these are shown).

A storage device 27 which adjoins the cigarette conveyor 11 is shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. The cigarette conveyor 11 exhibits a first section 12,which is connected to a cigarette-making machine. Furthermore, thecigarette conveyor exhibits a secondary store 13 and a second section14, which is connected to a packaging machine. The secondary store 13 isassigned several sensors 15, which detect the degree of filling of thesecondary store 13.

The storage unit 20 comprises a second cigarette conveyor 16, whichcommunicates with the secondary store 13. The cigarette conveyor 16exhibits endless belts 17, between which the cigarettes can be conveyed,forming a cigarette stream in doing so. At the end which is directedaway from the secondary store 13, the cigarette conveyor 16 exhibits afilling station 18. The endless belts 17 are directed vertically in theregion of said filling station 18. Furthermore, a sensor 19 is arrangedin the region of the filling station 18. Said sensor 19 detects whethercigarettes are located in the region of the filling station 17.

The storage unit 20 interacts with the cigarette conveyor 16. Severalchambers or containers 21 are fitted on the storage unit 20. The storageunit 20 can be displaced on wheels 22. Arranged in the region betweenthe wheels 22 is a rack 23 which interacts with a drive system 24. Thestorage unit 20 can thus be moved such that each of the containers 21can be moved into the filling station 18 of the cigarette conveyor 16.

Each container 21 is assigned an opening 25. Each opening 25 can beclosed by a slide 26, which is retained in the closed position by aspring 46. An actuating member 27, e.g. a pressure-medium cylinder or anelectromagnet, is arranged in the region of the filling station 18. Theslide 26 of a container 21 which is located in the region of the fillingstation 18 is opened by an actuating member 27 in each case.

Each container 21 exhibits a large-surface-area front wall 47, alarge-surface-area rear wall 48, a bottom wall 28 and two narrow sidewalls 31, 32. Said walls bound an interior 49 which is open at the topand is intended for receiving the cigarettes. In this arrangement, thewidth of the bottom wall 28 and of the side walls 31, 32 correspondsapproximately to the length of the cigarettes. The latter are stored inthe container 21 with their longitudinal axis transverse to the plane ofthe front wall 47. The opening for filling and emptying the containers21 is located in the bottom wall 28.

The bottom wall of the container 21 can be pivoted. In the present case,the bottom wall 28 comprises two legs 29, 30 which are mounted pivotablyin the region of the opening 25.

The side walls 31, 32 are fitted pivotably on the legs 29, 30 of thebottom wall 28. At their upper end, the side walls 31, 32 are eachmounted displaceably and pivotably between two guide rails 33. The sidewalls 31, 32 are thus pivoted from the normal position into the V-shapedposition together with the bottom wall 28. Actuating members forpivoting the bottom wall 28 and the side walls 31, 32 are arrangedbeneath the container 21. In the present case, pressure-medium cylinders34 serve as actuating members. The bottom wall 28 and the side walls 31,32 can thus be pivoted from the normal position (solid line) into aV-shaped position (represented by a broken line). The emptying of thecontainers 21 is thus facilitated.

A conventional sensor in the form of a lattice network (not shown)monitors whether individual cigarettes or a number of cigarettes are ina skewed position during filling or emptying.

Sensors 35, 36, 37 are arranged beside the container 21 in order tocontrol the pivot movement of the bottom wall 28 and of the side walls32, 33. The lowermost sensor 35 detects the normal position of thebottom wall 28 and of the side walls 31, 32. In this normal position,the bottom wall 28 is located in a horizontal position and the sidewalls 31, 32 located in a vertical position. The rest of the sensors 36,37 serve to detect the degree of filling of the container 21. In thisarrangement, the sensor 36 give a signal if the container is partiallyfilled to a predetermined degree of filling, and the sensor 37 gives asignal when the container 21 is filled completely.

Further sensors 38, 39 are assigned to one of the pressure-mediumcylinders 34. The lower sensor 38 is likewise triggered if the bottomwall 28 and the side walls 31, 32 are located in the normal position.The lower sensor 38 thus confirms the signal of the sensor 35. The uppersensor 39 is triggered if the bottom wall, together with the side walls31, 32, is located in the V-shaped position.

The device thus described operates as follows: if the cigarette-makingmachine produces more cigarettes than can be removed by the packagingmachine, some of the cigarettes are conveyed away from the cigaretteconveyor 16 and fed to the filling station 18. A container 21 which isempty or not yet completely filled is moved into the filling station 18and the slide 26 is opened. The position of the bottom wall 28 and ofthe side walls 31, 32 is controlled by the sensor 36. If a predetermineddegree of filling of the container 21 has been reached, with the resultthat the sensor 36 is triggered, the pressure-medium cylinders 34 areretracted and the bottom wall 28 and the side walls 31, 32 are thuspivoted into the normal position. During this, cigarettes continue to beconveyed through the filling station 18 into the container 21, to beprecise, until the sensor 37 is triggered.

If the predetermined degree of filling has not yet been reached, withthe result that the sensor 36 is not triggered, the bottom wall 28 andthe side walls 31, 32 remain in the V-shaped position, while cigarettesare conveyed into the container 21 until the sensor 36 is triggered.

Alternatively, the bottom wall 28 and the side walls 31, 32 may also belocated in the normal position during the entire filling operation.

The container 21 is filled completely if both the sensor 37 and thesensor 38 are triggered. The conveying direction of the cigaretteconveyor 16 is then reversed and the actuating member 27 is switchedoff, with the result that the slide 26 is displaced into the closedposition by the spring force of the spring 46. Reversal of the conveyingdirection of the cigarette conveyor 16, causes the cigarettes to beconveyed into the secondary store 13 until the sensor 19 is released.Then, as necessary, a further container which is empty or not yet filledcompletely can be moved into the filling station 18.

If the cigarette-making machine is stopped or the output of the same isreduced, cigarettes can be removed from the containers 21 and fed to thepackaging machine. For this purpose, a filled container 21 is moved intothe region of the filling station 18 and the slide 26 is opened by theactuating member 27. Cigarettes then pass through the opening 25 intothe filling station 18. By means of the cigarette conveyor 16, thecigarettes are fed into the secondary store 13 and from there to thepackaging machine. In this case, the emptying of the containers 21 iscontrolled by the sensors 15 of the secondary store 13. To be precise,the conveyor 16 is stopped if the secondary store is filled completely.

If the degree of filling of the container 21 falls below thepredetermined degree of filling thereof, which fact is detected by thesensor 36, the bottom wall 28 and the side walls 31, 32 are pivoted intothe V-shaped position. The container 21 may then be emptied completely.

Complete emptying of the container 21 is, in this arrangement, detectedby the sensor 19. The slide 24 is then moved into the closed position bythe spring 46 and the bottom wall 28 and the side walls 31, 32 arepivoted into the normal position. This is detected by the sensors 35 and38 and, if necessary, a further, filled container. 21 can be moved intothe filling station 17.

A special configuration of the cigarette conveyor is shown in FIG. 3.The cigarette conveyor 16 here has two separate conveyor shafts 40 and41. The conveyor shaft 40 serves for transporting the cigarettes in theupward direction, that is to say for emptying a container 21. Theconveyor shaft 41 serves for transporting the cigarettes in the downwarddirection, that is to say for filling a container 21. The endless belts17 in the region of the conveyor shafts 40, 41 can, accordingly, bedriven in only one direction, as is indicated by the arrows 42, 43.While cigarettes are fed to the filling station 18 by way of theconveyor shaft 41, the endless belts 17 of the conveyor shaft 40 are ata standstill. On the other hand, the endless belts 17 of the conveyorshaft 41 are at a standstill if cigarettes are conveyed away from thefilling station 18 by way of the conveyor shaft 40. In the region of ahorizontal conveyor shaft 44 of the cigarette conveyor 16, the conveyorbelts 17 can be driven in both directions corresponding to the doublearrow 45. Consequently, better, disruption-free transportation of thecigarettes in the upward and downward directions is ensured withoutdanger of the cigarettes being damaged.

As sensors, use can be made of all suitable types, e.g. light barriers.The expansion angle of the bottom wall 28 and of the side walls 31, 32in the V-shaped position should be 90°, that is to say 45° with respectto the horizontal plane.

According to an exemplary embodiment which is not represented, thefilling opening 25 is arranged in a border region of the bottom wall 28.In this case, the bottom wall 28 has only one pivotable leg.

We claim:
 1. Device for transporting and storing cigarettes, having astorage unit (20) comprising a plurality of containers (21) which arearranged one beside the other and are connected fixedly to one another,having an interior (49) for receiving the cigarettes, which interior isbounded by a large-surface-area front wall (47), a large-surface-arearear wall (48), narrow side walls (31, 32) and a bottom wall (28), andin which the cigarettes can be stored with their longitudinal axestransverse to the plane of the front wall (47), and having a conveyor(16) for feeding the cigarettes, in particular, from a cigarette-makingmachine and conveying away the cigarettes, in particular, to a packagingmachine, it being possible for the individual containers (21) to befilled or emptied one after the other in a filling station (18) by theconveyor (16), characterized in that the bottom wall (28) is mountedpivotably in the region of the filling opening (25) and can be pivotedfrom an essentially horizontal normal position into an oblique position,sloping down to the filling opening (25), by means of at least one leg(29, 30) which slopes down to the filling opening (25).
 2. Deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the filling opening (25) isarranged in a central region of the bottom wall (28), with the resultthat the bottom wall (28) is subdivided into two pivotable legs (29, 30)which extend on both sides of the filling opening (25).
 3. Deviceaccording to claim 2, characterized in that each leg (29, 30) of thebottom wall (28) is assigned an actuating member, in particular apressure-medium cylinder (34), for pivoting said bottom wall into theV-shaped position.
 4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in thatthe side walls (31, 32) are fitted pivotably on the bottom wall (28) andcan be pivoted into the V-shaped position together with said bottomwall.
 5. Device according to claim 1, characterized by a sensor (36) fordetecting a predetermined degree of filling of the container (21), thebottom wall (28), upon reaching the predetermined degree of fillingduring the filling process, being pivoted from the horizontal positioninto the V-shaped position and, upon emptying, being pivoted from theV-shaped position into the horizontal position.
 6. Device according toclaim 1, characterized in that several containers (21) are assembledinto a displaceable container magazine (20), in particular fortransporting the containers (21) in the region of a filling station (18)for filling and emptying the containers (21) one after the other. 7.Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the filling opening(25) is assigned a slide (26) so that it can be closed.
 8. Deviceaccording to claim 7, characterized in that an actuating member (27), inparticular a pressure-medium cylinder (34), an electromagnet or thelike, for actuating the slide (26) is arranged in the region of thefilling station (18).
 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized inthat the slide (26) is retained in a closed position by a spring (46)and can be displaced counter to the spring force by an actuating member(27) into an opening position.
 10. Device according to claim 1,characterized by a sensor for detecting skewed positions of individualcigarettes or a number of cigarettes.
 11. Device, in particular,according to claim 1, characterized in that a cigarette conveyor (16)for transporting the cigarettes from a cigarette-making machine to thefilling station (18) and from the filling station (18) to a packagingmachine exhibits two separate conveyor channels (40, 41) for feeding thecigarettes to the filling station (18) and for conveying the cigarettesaway from the filling station (18).
 12. Device according to claim 11,characterized in that an intermediate store (13) is arranged above atleast one conveyor channel (41).
 13. Device according to claim 12,characterized in that the intermediate store (13) is assigned sensors(15) for detecting the degree of filling.